Cosmetic procedures part of UHD’s plans

Lang reports record profit for first half of 2010

July 12, 2010

Improving health care and providing a one-stop-shop are among the goals of the multi-million dollar expansion project underway at United Hospital in Blue Earth.

Dr. Jennifer Smith, a family practitioner who started in August 2009, is doing her part to expand the type of specialty services available at UHD.

In two months, Smith will be performing various cosmetic procedures that include;

• Botox injections;

• Dermal fillers;

• facial skin rejuvenation;

• fractional laser wrinkle reduction;

• permanent hair reduction;

• and sclerotherapy for vein reduction.

Smith, last month, attended a nine-day medical aesthetic training course at the National Laser Institute in Scottsdale, Ariz., to become certified in a field of medicine that has always interested her.

“Medicine is not just making a person feel good physically. How a person sees themselves affects their mind and spirit,” she says. “Being a doctor also involves making a person feel good about themselves.”

UHD administrator Jeff Lang informed board members at their Tuesday meeting of Smith’s new venture.

Lang says it’s exciting to have doctors who want to do more and expand into medical services not previously offered.

“All our doctors are moving into areas that excite them and can make a significant difference,” he says. “We want to provide all the services we can. We don’t want to force people to drive out of town.”

Smith admits most of her skin care patients will be women, but more and more men are going to aestheticians.

“Laser treatment can be used to remove a scar or help with other skin conditions,” she says.

Depending on the demand, Smith says, tattoo removal may be a service that is added in the future. In other business;

• For the second straight month, Lang’s financial report was good news.

For May, operating income was a positive of $128,297, more than $49,000 than budgeted.

Net income for the month was $182,462, more than $76,000 over budget.

“We’re having an outstanding first part of the year,” says Lang. “It’s a very strong performance.”

To date, net income for the year is $1.145 million, or $627,375 over budget.

• Lang says work on the adolescent treatment center is near completion and state officials should be doing inspections soon.

He says the building will be turned over to the hospital district on Aug. 1 and a grand opening is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 18.

Heavy rain on July 2 created some havoc at the hospital construction site.

Lang says the four inches of rain in 45 minutes was too much for the storm sewers on Galbraith Street to handle.

The water overflowed street curbs and broke through protective dikes and flowed into the basement area.

About 20,000 gallons of water had to be pumped out and silt needed to be cleaned up.

Lang says two feet of sheetrock from the bottom of every wall was removed to make sure there would be no problems with mold.

“I’m not aware of any equipment that has been damaged,” Lang told the board.

The amount of dollar damage isn’t known at this time, but claims have been submitted to UHD’s general property insurer and to the builder’s risk carrier.

Article Photos

UHD Dr. Jennifer Smith is planning to offer a series of cosmetic procedures in the near future at the local hospital.